The Biggest Esports Games and Franchises You Need to Know

Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Games

The MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) genre rose to prominence in the late 2000s with games like League of Legends and Dota 2. These strategic, fast-paced titles pit two teams against each other to destroy the opposing team's base.

MOBA matches involve:

• Controlling a unique character with special abilities.
• Teaming up with others.
• Fighting AI creeps.
• Gaining gold and experience.
• Purchasing items/gear.
• Coordinating complex strategies with your team.

The blend of teamwork, competition, and complexity makes MOBAs popular with players and spectators.

League of Legends

With over 115 million monthly active users, League of Legends is the most-played PC game in the world and the king of the MOBA genre. The game initially launched in 2009 and has only grown since then.

The depth of the League comes from its expanding roster of over 150 unique Champions and the countless competitive team compositions and strategies that result. Elite skills like farming, map awareness, coordinating scams, and more separate the best from the rest.

The League of Legends World Championship is one of the most significant events in esports. The 2019 World Finals were viewed by over 100 million people, on par with the Super Bowl. Fans closely follow professional leagues like the LCS (North America), LEC (Europe), LPL (China), and LCK (South Korea).

First-Person Shooter (FPS) Games

First-person shooters make up some of the most iconic esports titles. FPS games like Counter-Strike and Overwatch demand quick reflexes, pinpoint aim, map knowledge, and expert teamwork.

The FPS genre is also approachable for casual players, leading to immense popularity. But mastering movement, aim, spray control, and grenade throws takes FPS gameplay to an elite level.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike is the granddaddy of tactical FPS esports, launching the first game in 1999. The current iteration, CS: GO, has been one of the top esports since its release in 2012.

CS: GO involves terrorists planting a bomb and counter-terrorists attempting to stop them. Iconic maps like Dust 2, Mirage, and Nuke have been played for decades. Skilled players have endless strategies for taking sites, covering choke points, and gaining map control.

A deep in-game economy also differentiates CS: GO. Each round starts with players spending money on weapons, armor, and utility. Managing your economy throughout a competitive match requires next-level money management and decision-making.

Majors like the ESL Pro League and Intel Extreme Masters attract the best CS: GO teams and hundreds of thousands of viewers. Famed organizations like Astralis, Natus Vincere, FaZe Clan, and Team Liquid boast extremely skilled rosters and strategic captains.

Battle Royale Games

The battle royale genre brought the gaming world by storm in the late 2010s with the launch of Fortnite and PUBG. The premise involves:

• Dropping into a map with other players.
• Scavenging for lances and gear.
• Fighting to be the last player/team standing.

Battle Royale captures the thrill of a competitor like the Hunger Games. RNG loot, a shrinking play zone, and eliminating other players make for tense and exciting matches with friends or solo.

Fortnite

Fortnite from Epic Games is arguably the most significant cultural gaming phenomenon ever. Released in 2017, Fortnite's free-to-play model, building mechanics, and regular updates catapulted it into the mainstream.

The party-like atmosphere plus aggressive marketing made Fortnite blow up with young audiences. But great skill is involved in building and editing structures in the heat of battle.

The 2019 Fortnite World Cup awarded $30 million in prizes. Top competitive players like Bugha, MrSavage, and BenjyFishy have become stars in their own right. The seasonal FNCS tournaments also attract millions in viewership.

PUBG

PUBG (PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds) kicked off the battle royale craze in 2017. Inspired by the Japanese film Battle Royale, PUBG pits 100 players against each other on a large island map.

The gameplay is more realistic and slow-paced compared to Fortnite. Winning a chicken dinner in PUBG requires clever positioning, marksmanship, and survival instincts.

PUBG thrives as an expert in Asian regions like China and South Korea. The PUBG Global Championship crowdfunds its prize pool annually, with the top teams from major leagues competing for glory.

Fighting Games

The fighting game genre has fostered a competitive scene for decades, predating modern esports. Iconic series like Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros. showcase 1v1 gameplay at its finest.

Fighting games test reflexes, execution, spacing, game knowledge, and mental fortitude like no other sport. Top players spend countless hours in training mode, perfecting combos and setups with their main character.

The genre is still going strong today, especially with the crossover appeal of platform fighters like Smash.

Street Fighter V

Street Fighter launched in 1987 and has remained at the forefront of fighting games. The current iteration, Street Fighter V, continues the series focus on methodical spacing and high-execution combos.

Mastering a character takes hundreds of hours of practice to react appropriately, pull off optimal combos, and counter the opponent's tendencies. Mind games also mix moves, baits, frame traps, and more.

The Capcom Pro Tour brings together the best SFV players for a season-long circuit of tournaments. Thanks to Street Fighter, all-time greats like Tokido, Daigo, and SonicFox have cemented their legacies.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros. stands out from traditional fighting games with its platform fighter mechanics and appealing Nintendo characters. Eight iconic fighters like Mario, Donkey Kong, and Samus appeared in the original 1999 release.

The series has swollen to 89 playable fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Characters from every Nintendo franchise and guests like Sonic, Mega Man, and Pac-Man collide.

There is tremendous depth behind Smash's simple premise. Mastering movement, recovering, edge guarding, combos, and more takes serious dedication. Top competitors like MkLeo, Tweek, Sparg0, and Zackray push SSB to its limits.

The grassroots competitive scene thrives with significant tournaments like Genesis, Smash Summit, Shine, and EVO.

Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Games

The real-time strategy genre involves gathering resources, building bases and armies, and outmaneuvering opponents. Fast hands and even faster brains separate professional RTS players from the casual crowd.

Micromanaging economies, unit production, army movement, scouting, and executing attacks and counterattacks occur at the highest level in the blink of an eye. South Korea is notably obsessed with RTS games as national esports.

Starcraft II

Blizzard's Starcraft II is the pinnacle of RTS gameplay and the definitive report for the genre. The title's complexity arises from distinct alien races, micromanagement, and responsive controls.

Top players consistently perform around 400 actions per minute. They think critically while maintaining that APM represents the ultimate test of real-time decision-making. Starcraft pros excel in multitasking, game sense, and unit positioning.

Competitive Starcraft is dominated by South Koreans like Serral, Rogue, Dark, and Maru. Tournaments like GSL, Dreamhack, and the ESL Pro Tour feature incredible skill and pressure. Starcraft has remained one of the world's top esports for over a decade.

Age of Empires IV

After years of dormancy, the beloved Age of Empires series saw a triumphant return in 2021. Age of Empires IV brings the strategic historical RTS into the future with gorgeous 4K graphics and new civilizations.

Though yet to be on Starcraft's level competitively, AOE4 has untapped potential as an export. Tournaments like Red Bull's Wololo series have kickstarted the scene with pro players and casters closely involved.

As developers Relic and World's Edge build up competitive features, Age of Empires IV could become a significant RTS sport. The legendary pedigree of the franchise makes it a new release worth watching in the esports world.

Sports Games

Sports games represent a more accessible branch of esports compared to the likes of MOBAs or RTS titles. Everyone understands the rules of soccer, basketball, football, etc., making competitive sports games more accessible.

Dominating in sports sims requires stick skills, game knowledge, and mental toughness. Managing athletes on a roster, calling plays, and executing in critical situations takes real skill.

FIFA

EA Sports' phenomenally successful FIFA football/soccer series has the most developed esports scene of any sports title. FIFA gameplay focuses on 1v1 matches between elite attackers and defenders.

The FIFA eWorld Cup serves as the official global tournament sponsored by EA. Prominent esports organizations run FIFA teams and develop top talent across Europe and beyond.

Competitors carefully manage stamina, pick ideal squads, master skill moves, convert chances in the box, and read the defense when on the attack. Like authentic soccer, goals in FIFA come from moments of brilliance and clinical execution.

With official licenses and global appeal, FIFA continues growing as a competitive sport year after year. Aspiring pros now have the infrastructure to hone their skills and make their names.

Esports encompass diverse competitive video games with legions of skilled professionals, diehard fans, and lucrative tournaments. The most prominent genres are MOBAs, shooters, battle royales, fighters, RTS titles, and sports games.

A few franchises stand at the pinnacle of each esports genre based on gameplay depth, viewership, prize money, and legacy. League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Fortnite, Street Fighter, Starcraft, and FIFA are examples of elite esports at the top of their class.

Casual players can enjoy these games at their own pace. But it takes relentless work and natural talent to reach the upper echelon and compete against the world's best. Teams pour everything into winning championships, cementing legacies, and taking home prize purses.

The future looks bright for both casual and competitive gaming experiences. As games and technology evolve, more innovative and appealing esports could emerge. For now, these intense titles represent the cream of the crop regarding popular competitive games and franchises.